Sugaray Rayford is literally, larger than life…a gentle giant in both stature and compassion. Multiple times during our conversation we were interrupted by friends and fans wanting to take a picture with him or just shake his hand. Mid-sentence he would stop, smile for the picture and thank them for coming out to see him. Soft-spoken unless he's onstage Rayford is both a storyteller and musicologist but is quick to credit those around him for his success. He places the most emphasis on being where his is today on the love, encouragement and support of his wife, Pam.

During my first trip to Hamburg last year, I was so smitten with the astonishing Elbphilharmonie that I knew I had to return to this Hanseatic city and the celebrated concert hall for another opportunity to imbibe the heady grandeur of this splendid monument to music… and to do more of the things in Hamburg that I had not had time to do during my first visit.